Get Rid of Those Measuring Cups!

BAKING BY WEIGHT VS. TRADITIONAL MEASURING 

WHY IT'S BETTER

• Less Clean Up - when you bake by weight, you don't have numerous measuring cups, spoons, and bowls to clean.  The ingredients go from their original container directly into the bowl you need them in.

• More Accurate  - This is true especially for ingredients like, flour, brown sugar, shortening, peanut butter, etc.  If you reach your measuring cup into a container of flour, rather than scooping the flour into your measuring cup, you are going to have significantly different amounts of flour.  With weight, there is no room for error.  Also... how many times have you been making something that called for several cups of flour and found yourself saying "Wait... was that 3 cups or 4?"  With weight, there isn't the incessant scooping, leveling, and counting of cups.

• It's Easier to Increase or Decrease a Recipe - When a recipe calls for 2-3/4 cups flour, and you want to divide that recipe in half.... well now you have a problem and will most likely do some "guestimating".  It's a lot easier to divide or multiply your quantities when they are in lbs., ounces, or grams.

• More Consistent - When you measure your ingredients by weight, there is no room for subjectivity.  7.5 oz is always 7.5 oz.  No matter how you get that ingredient into the bowl!

• Even Cake Layers - Weight your batter in the cake pans!  This way you can be certain that each pan contains the same amount of batter... even (same height) cake layers and consistent bake time.

• It's Faster! - eliminating the "middle man" of the measuring cup allows you to put together a recipe much faster... and the clean up is faster too!   I also find that it is much easier to remember a recipe by weight than cups.  

WHAT YOU NEED

A Scale....
 When choosing a scale, look for one that goes up to at least 10 or 11 lbs.  As you continually add ingredients, plus the weight of the bowl, some recipes can get pretty hefty!  Also, make sure it can measure pounds and ounces as well as grams.  Having the option of 2 decimal places is also nice.  I use an Escali scale.... it has worked for quite some time and I have not had any problems with it.  The batteries last a really, really long time as well!

Make sure your scale is one  that goes up to at least 11 pounds.  Two decimal places is a definite plus... it should measure ounces, pounds, and grams 

A calculator...

Use a calculator to easily increase or decrease your recipe... use it to calculate total weight if you're making something that needs to be divided into equal portions.

Yep!  That's pretty much it.... So don't be afraid to give it a whirl!  Once you make the adjustment, you'll be hooked... I promise:)  

Happy Baking!